When comparing Elder Scrolls Online vs Grand Theft Auto V, the Slant community recommends Grand Theft Auto V for most people. In the question“What are the best Action games on Steam?”Grand Theft Auto V is ranked 2nd while Elder Scrolls Online is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose Grand Theft Auto V is:

The world of Grand Theft Auto V is extraordinarily massive and filled with details.
For example, you can be working to complete a mission which may involve flying a plane, fighting the crew of that plane, crashing it, and finally parachuting out of it only to find an off-road buggy landing. This, in turn may lead you to explore the mountains and wilderness around San Andreas and come across backpackers who will probably be slightly annoyed at you.
But this does not even come close to describing the massive scope that GTA V has. It feels like a living world where anything can happen.

Pros

Pro

Unrestrictive class system

ESO's character system is based on skill lines; each class provides three. There are dozens of other skill lines, including all weapons and armor, which are open to all characters. Resource stats (Health, Stamina, Magicka) aren't tied to class either. This means any character can use any gear and be built to fill any role.

Pro

Built on twenty years of game lore

Elder Scrolls games have always placed the world's unabashedly bizarre mythology in the forefront, and ESO is no exception. Between quest storylines, hundreds of in-game books, passing NPC dialog, and the landscape itself, ESO presents a world that feels bigger than the player and can be incredibly immersive.

Pro

Limited skill bar encourages build variety

There are only six skill slots (five regular and one "ultimate") available at any one time. A character can swap between two equipped weapon sets, making at most 12 total skills available in combat. With well over 100 skills to choose from, finding two characters with exactly the same build is the exception, not the rule.

Pro

High build variety keeps PvP interesting

Though "flavors of the month" will arise in any competitive game, ESO's versatile characters and MOBA-like limitation on simultaneous skill availability greatly reward creative builds and counter-building.

Pro

Immersive first person play

While the game can be played in third person (which may work better in PvP), there is an option to play in first person view which keeps in tradition of the view found in other Elder Scroll titles. This gives this MMO the feeling of playing Skyrim or Oblivion, which should appeal to those who are fans or familiar. It is also a unique way to play an MMO, which could appeal to those tired of traditional third person view MMOs.

Pro

Good single player TES game

With an MMO-ish progression. Also, has great voice acting.

Pro

Excellent controller support

Not only is controller support provided, but a combination of elements of the games design (minimal UI, enforced focus on favorite/preferred actions, and a clear vision to design console support in early on) means play with a controller is a great, comfortable experience.

Pro

High immersion as minimalist HUD brings focus to action and the world

Minimalist HUD-approach brings focus to action and the world for immersion rather than focus on hotkeys, cooldowns, and other immersion-breaking intrusions

Pro

Massive scope

The world of Grand Theft Auto V is extraordinarily massive and filled with details.

For example, you can be working to complete a mission which may involve flying a plane, fighting the crew of that plane, crashing it, and finally parachuting out of it only to find an off-road buggy landing. This, in turn may lead you to explore the mountains and wilderness around San Andreas and come across backpackers who will probably be slightly annoyed at you.

But this does not even come close to describing the massive scope that GTA V has. It feels like a living world where anything can happen.

Pro

Great story wrapped around in biting and relevant social commentary

Grand Theft Auto V is a smart, comical but biting social commentary on contemporary relevant matters. It satirizes almost anything that has to do with the current pop culture. Millennials, celebrities, the right, the left, the middle class, the upper class, the media and even the video game industry itself.

The story and the world in which it takes place are fictional, but the social commentary and the problems it raises and things it satirizes are real -- corruption, greed, hypocrisy, the abuse of power -- are all real and relevant in today's world.

Pro

Freedom to explore almost anything

Besides providing players with a huge open world, Grand Theft Auto V also gives them the ability and freedom to explore every corner of the map available to them with any vehicle available to them in the game.

Pro

Online multiplayer

GTA V has included an online multiplayer mode where up to 30 players can play at the same time in the online world.

Pro

Well optimized

There were many reservations as to how well Rockstar was going to optimize the game for PC, as some of their past games had a lot of trouble in this area. Luckily it looks as though the game has been optimized quite well with the specs being quite reasonable in order to achieve 60FPS in 1080p on the best settings.

Pro

Supports up to 4K resolutions

GTA V supports resolutions all the way up to 4K on the PC version.

Pro

Improved graphics over every other version

The PC version of GTA V is the optimal experience when it comes to graphic quality. Improved lighting and anti-aliasing make a big difference over the games Xbox One and PS4 counterparts.

Pro

First person mode

The entire PC game version has had an engine tweak that allows it to be played in first person view, making for the first time in the series run that this option is available for the full playthrough.

Pro

Rockstar editor

The included Rockstar editor allows for user to create their own Machinima and gameplay videos. The tools are very robust allowing for many different day, weather and character options.

Pro

Game saves can be imported from console versions

Players that have game saves on their console versions can import the save to the PC version, this way they will not have to start the game over from scratch to enjoy it on PC.

Cons

Con

Overrun by hackers

Online play is completely overrun with hackers who have infinite money, can spawn any vehicle of their choice, etc.

Con

Forced Rockstar Social Club online registration DRM scheme

Rockstar Social Club is a forced online registration and DRM platform that will not allow one to play the game without first logging in to it. No internet connection, no play. Forget the password to the account three times, get locked out. All hindrances to paying customers that in no way will stop the piracy of this title or effect pirates in any way shape or form.

Con

Population density slider in the options does not make much of a difference

The population density option in the PC version does not make much of a difference in the game, while it does have more people and cars than the console counterparts, the increased number is not by much.